Vehicular storage assembly with electrical charger and methods of use and manufacture thereof

• US 10,181,746 B2
• Filed: 05/22/2015
• Issued: 01/15/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 05/22/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Kramer, Kevin, Buchheit, Nathaniel Joseph, Bryant, David Joseph, Sun, Zi Yang
• Primary Examiner(s): Pape, Joseph D.
• Application Number:
  US14/720,415
• Publication Number:
  US 20160344221A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,334 Days
• Field of Search: 296 2434
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 7/04 in driver or passenger space , e.g. using racks B60R7/005, B60R7/08 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0044 specially adapted for holding portable devices containing batteries H02J7/0045 takes precedence

Abstract

A storage assembly can include a housing defining an interior space, a top surface, a front surface, and an upper recessed storage area defined at the top surface. A moveable storage receptacle can define a movable storage area. The movable storage receptacle can include a front exterior surface that defines a part of the front surface of the housing. The moveable storage receptacle can be configured to move between a closed position in which the moveable storage area is disposed within the interior space of the housing, and an open position in which at least a portion of the moveable storage area is disposed beyond the interior space of the housing. A wireless charger can be disposed and configured to charge an electronic device when the electronic device is disposed at the upper recessed storage area.

Claims

1. A storage assembly for use with a vehicle, the storage assembly being configured for receiving an electronic device, the storage assembly comprising:

a housing defining an interior space, a top surface, and a front surface, the housing further includes;

an upper recessed storage area including a charging surface and a plurality of walls, the charging surface being a recessed portion of the top surface, and the walls are rigidly fixed to the charging surface and extend away from the charging surface;

a front cupholder structure at the top surface defining a pair of indentations that are open at the top surface of the housing and that include a solid bottom surface, and the front cupholder structure is disposed adjacent to the upper recessed storage area at a location that is fixed with respect to the upper recessed storage area;

a rear cupholder structure defining a pair of indentations that are open at the upper surface of the housing and that include a solid bottom surface, the rear cupholder structure is fixed relative to the front cupholder structure;

a hidden storage receptacle disposed between the front cupholder structure and the rear cupholder structure at a location that is fixed relative to each of the front cupholder structure and the rear cupholder structure; and

a rear upper recessed storage area defined by a pair of parallel upper walls and a movable bottom surface, the movable bottom surface being movable between an open position where the movable bottom surface exposes at least a portion of the hidden storage receptacle and a closed position where the movable bottom surface conceals the hidden storage receptacle, the rear upper recessed storage area is disposed adjacent to the upper recessed storage area, and the upper recessed storage area and the rear upper recessed storage area being disposed between the rear cupholder structure and the front cupholder structure;

a moveable storage receptacle that defines a movable storage area, the movable storage receptacle including a front exterior surface that defines a part of the front surface of the housing, the moveable storage receptacle being configured to move between a closed position in which the moveable storage area is disposed within the interior space of the housing, and an open position in which at least a portion of the moveable storage area is disposed beyond the interior space of the housing; and

a wireless charger mounted to the upper recessed storage area and disposed beneath the charging surface of the upper recessed storage area, the wireless charger being disposed adjacent to the hidden storage receptacle, the wireless charger being disposed above the movable storage receptacle when the movable storage receptacle is in the closed position, the wireless charger being disposed adjacent to the movable bottom surface defining the rear upper recessed storage area when the movable bottom surface is in the closed position, and the wireless charger being configured to charge the electronic device if the electronic device is disposed on the charging surface of the upper recessed storage area.

2. The storage assembly of claim 1, further comprising an external storage portion disposed adjacent the front surface of the housing, and defining an open storage area extending from the housing, the movable storage receptacle being disposed at the external storage portion when in the open position.

3. The storage assembly of claim 1, wherein the front cupholder structure being disposed directly above the moveable storage receptacle when in the closed position such that the bottom surface of the indentations extends across the moveable storage receptacle.

4. The storage assembly of claim 3, wherein the rear upper recessed storage area and the hidden storage receptacle forming a contiguous open storage area when the movable bottom surface is in the open position, while the rear upper recessed storage area and the hidden storage receptacle forming separate storage areas when the movable bottom surface is in the closed position by virtue of being separated by the movable bottom surface.

5. The storage assembly of claim 4, wherein the upper recessed storage area is disposed between the front cupholder structure and the rear upper recessed storage area, such that the movable bottom surface is disposed adjacent the upper recessed storage area when in the closed position and thereby forms a rear surface of the upper recessed storage area.

6. The storage assembly of claim 2, wherein the external storage area is defined by a pair of parallel side walls that extend away from the housing, and a base defining a bottom surface of the external storage area;

and wherein the movable storage receptacle includes a front panel and a pair of parallel side panels, the parallel side panels being separated by a distance that is less than a distance separating the parallel side walls of the external storage area, such that at least a portion of the parallel side panels are disposed between the parallel side walls of the external storage area when the moveable storage receptacle is in the open position.

7. The storage assembly of claim 1, wherein the moveable storage receptacle includes a manually engagable handle at a front exterior surface, a locking mechanism, and a spring biasing the locking mechanism into a locked position when the moveable storage receptacle is in the closed position, manual engagement of the handle acting to overcome the bias of the spring to unlock the locking mechanism and thereby enable the moveable storage receptacle to be moved from the closed position to the open position.

8. The storage assembly of claim 1, wherein the moveable storage receptacle includes a receptacle and a storage receptacle housing configured to house the receptacle, the storage receptacle housing being generally C-shaped and defined by a rear panel and parallel side panels extending from opposite sides of the rear panel, the storage receptacle housing being open at a front end to enable reception of the receptacle;

and further including a base that supports the storage receptacle housing and the receptacle, the base including parallel base sides that are connected by lower base plates, and being configured to enable sliding movement of the receptacle by virtue of a movement element housing being connected to each of the base sides, a rail bracket being mounted to the receptacle and cooperating with bearings disposed within the movement element housing to enable sliding movement of the receptacle relative of the storage receptacle housing.

9. The storage assembly of claim 1, wherein the wireless charger is configured to:

detect an amount of electrical charge of the electronic device if the electronic device is disposed at the upper recessed storage area,

compare the amount of electrical charge detected to an acceptable charge level, and

perform wireless charging of charge the electronic device if the amount of electrical charge detected is less than, or equal to, the acceptable charge level.

10. A method of manufacturing a storage assembly for use with a vehicle, the method comprising:

defining an interior space with a housing;

forming an upper surface of the housing to include an upper recessed storage area including a charging surface and a plurality of walls, the charging surface is a recessed portion of the top surface, and the walls are rigidly fixed to the charging surface and extend away from the charging surface;

forming the housing to include a front cupholder structure at the top surface, the front cupholder structure defining a pair of indentations that are open at the upper surface of the housing and that include a solid bottom surface, and disposing the front cupholder structure adjacent to the upper recessed storage area at a location that is fixed with respect to the upper recessed storage area;

forming the housing to include a rear cupholder structure, the rear cupholder structure defining a pair of indentations that are open at the upper surface of the housing and that include a solid bottom surface, and the rear cupholder structure is fixed relative to the front cupholder structure;

disposing a hidden storage receptacle between the front cupholder structure and the rear cupholder structure at a location that is fixed relative to each of the front cupholder structure and the rear cupholder structure;

forming the housing to include a rear upper recessed storage area defined by a pair of parallel upper walls and a movable bottom surface;

configuring the movable bottom surface to move between an open position where the movable bottom surface exposes at least a portion of the hidden storage receptacle and a closed position where the movable bottom surface conceals the hidden storage receptacle, disposing the rear upper recessed storage area adjacent to the upper recessed storage area, and disposing the upper recessed storage area and the rear upper recessed storage area between the rear cupholder structure and the front cupholder structure;

defining a movable storage area with a moveable storage receptacle;

configuring the moveable storage receptacle to move between a closed position in which the moveable storage area is disposed within the interior space of the housing, and an open position in which at least a portion of the moveable storage area is disposed beyond the interior space of the housing;

mounting a wireless charger to the upper recessed storage area at a location on the upper storage area such that the wireless charger is,

disposed beneath the charging surface of the upper recessed storage area,

disposed adjacent to the hidden storage receptacle,

disposed above the movable storage receptacle when the movable storage receptacle is in the closed position, and

disposed adjacent to the movable bottom surface defining the rear upper recessed storage area when the movable bottom surface is in the closed position; and

configuring the wireless charger to charge an electronic device if the electronic device is disposed on the charging surface of the upper recessed storage area.

11. The method of manufacturing of claim 10, further comprising disposing an external storage portion adjacent a front surface of the housing, so as to define an open storage area extending from the housing, and such that the movable storage receptacle is disposed at the external storage portion when in the open position.

12. The method of manufacturing of claim 10, further comprising disposing the front cupholder structure to be directly above the moveable storage receptacle when in the closed position such that the bottom surface of the indentations extend across the moveable storage receptacle.

13. The method of manufacturing of claim 12, wherein configuring the movable bottom surface to be movable between open and closed positions includes,

forming a contiguous open storage area with the rear upper recessed storage and the hidden storage receptacle when the movable bottom surface is in the open position, and

forming separate storage areas with the rear upper recessed storage area and the hidden storage receptacle when the movable bottom surface is in the closed position by virtue of being separated by the movable bottom surface.

14. The method of manufacturing of claim 13, further including disposing the upper recessed storage area between the front cupholder structure and the rear upper recessed storage area, such that the movable bottom surface is disposed adjacent the upper recessed storage area when in the closed position and thereby forms a rear surface of the upper recessed storage area.

15. The method of manufacturing of claim 11, further comprising defining the external storage area by a pair of parallel side walls that extend away from the housing, and a base defining a bottom surface of the external storage area;

and forming the movable storage receptacle to include a front panel and a pair of parallel side panels, such that the parallel side panels are separated by a distance that is less than a distance separating the parallel side walls of the external storage area, and such that at least a portion of the parallel side panels are disposed between the parallel side walls of the external storage area when the moveable storage receptacle is in the open position.

16. The method of manufacturing of claim 10, further comprising forming the moveable storage receptacle to include a manually engagable handle at a front exterior surface, a locking mechanism, and a spring biasing the locking mechanism into a locked position when the moveable storage receptacle is in the closed position, such that manual engagement of the handle acts to overcome the bias of the spring to unlock the locking mechanism and thereby enable the moveable storage receptacle to be moved from the closed position to the open position.

17. The method of manufacturing of claim 10, wherein configuring the wireless charger to charge an electronic device if the electronic device is disposed at the upper recessed storage includes:

detecting an amount of electrical charge of the electronic device if the electronic device is disposed at the upper recessed storage area,

comparing the amount of electrical charge detected to an acceptable charge level, and

performing wireless charging of charge the electronic device if the amount of electrical charge detected is less than, or equal to, the acceptable charge level.

18. A storage assembly for use with a vehicle, the storage assembly being configured for receiving an electronic device, the storage assembly comprising:

a housing defining an interior space, a top surface, and a front surface, the housing further includes;

an upper recessed storage area including a charging surface that is a recessed portion of the top surface;

a front cupholder structure at the top surface defining a pair of indentations that are open at the top surface of the housing and that include a solid bottom surface, and the front cupholder structure is disposed adjacent to the upper recessed storage area;

a rear storage compartment including a rear storage area and a removable retractable cover;

a hidden storage receptacle located between the front cupholder structure and the rear storage compartment; and

a movable bottom surface being movable between an open position, a partially opened position and a closed position such that,

the movable bottom surface exposes each of the hidden storage receptacle and the charging surface of the upper recessed storage receptacle when in the opened position,

the movable bottom surface conceals the hidden storage receptacle, exposes the charging surface of the upper recessed storage area, and defines a rear upper recessed storage area that is located between the upper recessed storage area and the rear storage compartment when in the partially opened position, and

the movable bottom surface covers the hidden storage receptacle and the charging surface of the upper recessed storage area when the movable bottom surface is in the closed position;

a moveable storage receptacle that defines a movable storage area, the movable storage receptacle including a front exterior surface that defines a part of the front surface of the housing, the moveable storage receptacle being configured to move between a closed position in which the moveable storage area is disposed within the interior space of the housing, and an open position in which at least a portion of the moveable storage area is disposed beyond the interior space of the housing; and

a wireless charger mounted to the upper recessed storage area and located beneath the charging surface of the upper recessed storage area, the wireless charger is disposed adjacent to the movable bottom surface defining the rear upper recessed storage area when the movable bottom surface is in the partially opened position the wireless charger is disposed adjacent to the hidden storage receptacle, the wireless charger is disposed above the movable storage receptacle when the movable storage receptacle is in the closed position, and the wireless charger is configured to charge the electronic device if the electronic device is disposed on the recessed surface of the upper recessed storage area.